The Great Moon Hoax

At this point in my life, it seems that life has a certain continuity. moment by moment, day by day, year by year, there is a smooth consistency of awareness and experience. This was not always the case. During early childhood, there were distinct experiences when it seemed that from a void of nothingness and non-existence, suddenly I was aware of being alive. At those times, I would remember other experiences of being alive, and so, over the course of time, a gradual acceptance of life took hold, and the moments of non-existence, became less and less. Although I did not know all of the particulars of life and what it was, There was a certainty that one day, such knowledge would come into my possession. It was something I took for granted.

In those early years, I had a sneaking suspicion that many if not most humans existed within the blissful non-awareness of complete non-self-consciousness, behind a cloak upon reality so dark ,so thick and so total, that it was much more foolproof and impossible of being discovered, as the Wizard of Oz's ill-conceived master control panel. It was clear from an early age that it wasn't that others "knew" the keys to the mystery of life, rather, they had no clue that what was going on, or that there was a mystery to life. For this vast majority, life was not miraculous in the least. and so bullshit like cars, television and silicone breast, held great fascination to them against the ignorance that rendered nature and life, as boring or less than. It was apparent that the average person was not conscious in any meaningful respect. And so, December 21, 1968, when I found myself once again suddenly conscious, it meant much more to me than just a walk to the store.

I will always remember December 21, 1968. It was the afternoon. My mother, brother and I got on our winter clothes, it was a snowy, slushy day in Seattle, WA. I had rubber/plastic galoshes. We marched the seemingly long 3 blocks to the "Chuck Wagon" supermarket where we bought a newspaper. When we got home, my brother stood behind me and I in front, still in my outer wear, boots and hat, and my brother held the headline in front of me, while my mother took a photo.

That photo still exists. The caption read, "OFF TO THE MOON!" Apollo 8 had just blasted off to the moon, or so they said. Many people didn't believe that there actually was a spaceship. Many, even when they saw the broadcasts from the moon, believed that the scenes were being shot on a Hollywood studio. Certainly the transmissions were such, that no strong argument could be made to prove that an actual moon journey had taken place.

My belief is that the Moon Trips, the entire early age of NASA was a very real, and somber hoax perpetrated on the American People.

Compared to discovering new life forms, alien civilizations, traveling near the speed of light and even leaving our solar system, going to the moon is the equivalent of spitting on the sidewalk from a tall building. Whereas humans escaping the solar system, to a certain death, is as far away from being accomplished as a so-called grand, unified theory.

But the hoax is, the notion that going to the moon, meant anything. It was a high tech pissing contest. the resources, the time, the money, the imagination to build it, and that the American people held in observing it, was nothing more than a sociological hoax, for absolutely nothing was accomplished by it.

It was the world's most high-budget movie, with no plot, no sub-text, and no point. Epic? yes. Metaphorical? yes. mind blowing? yes. Practical? no.

What we should do, is imagine that 200 years ago, 100,000 high tech humans landed on Earth from another planet and mixed with indigenous Earthlings. We should imagine that the reason these high tech humans came to our planet is because they had polluted, poisoned, killed, sterilized, and rendered their own planet, inhospitable for life. We should imagine that now, 200 years after these folks arrived, it is clear to us and to them, that they are well on their way towards doing to our planet, what they did to their own. And when we ask them, "Why?" they will say, "Because that's the way it is." and then we can stand like a bunch of stupid motherfuckers as they load up with evian, oxycontins a few Marvin Gaye albums and a few million IOU's and blast the off into the heavens.

It's certain that at this time, having received the answer, from the super-beings, we will realize, that we've been duped, and there's no one at the wheel... and these super-beings are really clever, and smart, but the one thing they lack, is an exit strategy from their own madness.

Imagine the horror, disbelief and disappointment that we would feel to find out that we had turned over the development of our world to these super beings, only to find out that the economic system they instilled, was not even in their control rather, was controlled by the basest of human desires, the "invisible hand", "laissez-faire", "free markets", which translates into: greed, exploitation & profit motive, with no regard for sustainability, or longevity. Imagine the shock, horror and dismay that we would feel to find out that the chemicals, compounds, technology and products that these super-beings had created for our good, was now polluting our skies, groundwater, and causing the melting of our polar caps and glaciers? and destruction of our ozone layer? and had caused a Texas sized soup of plastic to form in the middle of the Pacific? Imagine, how sad and distraught we would feel, to find out that the natural resources required to feed their various machinery, had deforested, our lands, genetically altered our food supply, lead to the extinction of thousands of life forms, and lead to poverty, disease, disadvantage, war, starvation and strife throughout the globe?

But why need we imagine this to see that the result is the same as what is going on right now? Just because we are fucking up and have no one to blame, does that mean that we are powerless to make sound, rational decisions? Does that mean we have a right to charge full-steam ahead into a brick wall?

Going to the moon, was a hoax, far beyond a Hollywood studio posing as the moon. It was a hoax of epic proportions, that duped the American people, and the world, into the belief and promise of endless resources, sagacious, wise leadership, technological limitless, and safety, security and sustainable, ever-increasing personal and societal wealth, perfection and harmony. This moon shot combined with the image and life of Einstein, as the ever-wise, super-genius, who could solve any problem, figure anything out, and also pontificate upon the moral tides and forces at play with the creation of super weapons, has lead us to believe, that 1. we can do anything 2. we can solve anything 3. if anything were really that bad, some really, really smart person would tell us, and we wouldn't use that thing. to which I say, BULLLLLLLLLLLSHIIIIIIIIIT!. All super-geniuses have a little Beaver Cleaver in them. They are cute, well-meaning, like to experiment, but ultimately, they're in over their head. And, seeing as Ward and June aint around, theirs no one to slap their little cherubic cheeks and send them off to bed.

Imagine if John F. Kennedy had said, "We will not be going to the moon. We have too many issues that we need to deal with on Earth. When the time is right, and if we take care of the issues we have here on Earth, then life will flourish on this planet ad infinitum, and when we are ready, when we have learned, when we understand, and when it makes sense, and meaning and purpose to travel through space, then we will do it. But right now, we must turn our attention towards solving basic, human issues of meaningful life, partnership with other cultures, races, religions and the world, and finding a way to regulate our economic system and what we produce, to ensure that we are making the best possible decisions for the posterity of all possible future generations...."

But JFK didn't say that. He went for the Ad captandum vulgus. He went for the Viet-Nam war, he went for the Bay of Pigs, He went for all the flashy bullshit, and pie in the sky, lets-tear-the-roof-off-this-sucker bullshit befitting the man who loved to fuck Jackie O. more than all his other bitches. The guy had style, panache, wit and a good eye for broads and the ability to turn a good phrase.

He had the advantage and prerogative to make decisions that could destroy life on Earth, because many of these technologies, were technologies that he first opened and played with. he had time, he had land, he had resources. But he also had foresight, and knew that he shouldn't have done it. But he did anyway.

It's not just the Moon. But it was a big part of it. One day, hopefully we'll look at the stars and heavens and figure out that in an existence so vast, the point isn't to try to go anywhere, but to make your house a home. And to see that anywhere, is as good as anywhere else. and so, what is to be done, is to turn inward, and to exist and persist, and to make the real decisions befitting beings of intelligence, foresight and wisdom.

Did You Know That You Were Supposed To Seek, Tame, Ride and Lose The Ox?

In the 12th century, Ch'an painted ten pictures illustrating the search for an Ox, an allegory for the search of our true nature. The practice which precipitates the freeing of oneself from their base desires has been understood as occurring in a series of stages. The Ox-herding pictures are a beautifully poetic illustration of the stages. In Reality, we have the Ox, but we must turn inward to see it, to tame and calm it, so that we may then rest with ourselves, turn inward and be free from the wild inattentiveness of the Ox within.


Seeking the Ox

In the pasture of this world,
I endlessly push aside the tall
grasses in search of the bull.
Following unnamed rivers, lost
upon the interpenetrating paths
of distant mountains ...
My strength failing and my vitality
exhausted, I cannot find the bull.
I only hear the locusts chirring
through the forest at night.

Finding the Tracks

Discovering the Footprints
Along the riverbank under the trees ...
I discover footprints!
Even under the fragrant grass I see
his prints.
Deep in remote mountains they are found.
These traces no more can be hidden
than one's nose, looking heavenward.

First Glimpse of the Ox

I hear the song of the nightingale.
The sun is warm, the wind is mild,
willows are green along the shore.
Here no bull can hide!
What artist can draw that massive
head, those majestic horns?

Catching the Ox

I seize him with a terrific
struggle. His great will and
power are inexhaustable.
He charges to the high plateau
far above the cloud-mists ...
Or in an impenetrable ravine
he stands.

Taming the Ox

The whip and rope are necessary.
Else he might stray off down
some dusty road.
Being well trained, he becomes
naturally gentle.
Then unfettered he obeys his master.

Riding the Ox Home

Mounting the bull ...
slowly I return homeward.
The voice of my flute intones
throughout the evening.
Measuring with hand-beats the
pulsating harmony ...
I direct the endless rhythm.
Whoever hears this melody will
join me.

Ox Forgotten, Self Alone

Astride the bull, I reach home.
I am serene. The bull too can rest.
The dawn has come. In blissful repose,
Within my thatched dwelling I have
abandoned the whip and rope.

Both Ox and Self Forgotten

Whip, rope, person, and bull ...
all merge in No-Thing.
This heaven is so vast no message
can stain it.
How may a snowflake exist in a
raging fire?
Here are the footprints of the
patriarchs.

Return to the Source

Too many steps have been taken
returning to the root and the source.
Better to have been blind and deaf
from the beginning!
Dwelling in one's true abode,
unconcerned with that without ...
The river flows tranquilly on
and the flowers are reIn the World.

Entering the Marketplace with Open Hands

Barefooted and naked of breast ...
I mingle with the people of the world.
My clothes are ragged and dust-laden,
and I am ever blissful.
I use no magic to extend my life;
Now, before me ...
the dead trees become alive.

Having Kids...

I had to escort this young lady from the release section of the jail to the cab awaiting out in front of the clock tower. I waited in the room usually reserved for inmates being processed for release. She finally came through and signed for her money, her raggedy-ass, knock off designer bag, fake gold chain and fake gold earrings. then, the deputy buzzed us through the final exit point to fresh air and sunshine.

When this young lady, "Mary" came through, she remembered me from the time I saw her a few weeks back to evaluate her state of mind and she was out of it. Alert and Oriented, able to answer questions, she knew the date, who she was, where she was, why she was but she was weird, tweaked out, brain damaged and gave the impression of someone that was floating above and inconvenienced by having to listen to, and answer questions emanating from earth bound beings. In essence, she "passed" the test of grave disability. During the course of the interview, she kept standing and grabbing her chest and breathing deeply. The young worker with me asked her if she needed to see a doctor. I can see why he said it, but it was clear that her movements were an after-effect of Intravenous crystal meth. When I asked her what she did for a living, candidly and without pretense, she stated that she was a prostitute. I almost felt like the only reason I asked the question was to see if she was going to lie. And when she answered, it was seemingly with the same awareness that it was a "test" of honesty. When I asked her if she used condoms, she said, "Sometimes". Then I suggested that she call her mother from the office phone, which is something I rarely do, however, seeing as she was a native Espanol speaker, and her English wasn't that great, I wanted to see how she communicated in her native tongue. Even though I only understand about 10% of 1st grade level Spanish, I can tell a normal conversation in any language, by the clarity, fluidity, inflection, pronunciation, manner of thought and contemplation, as well as non-language factors of affect, pace, tone, etc. She sounded much clearer on the phone. From what I was able to make out, her mother asked her how she was doing, she talked about God, she asked about her kids and some other people. She did not hesitate, stutter, get emotional, argue, etc. As I suspected, (and the other workers hadn't factored into their assessments) she presented much better in a language she had an understanding of.

After seeing her, I requested that the psychiatrist increase her medications. Why? Well, two days previous to the days interview,, the young worker and a skilled worker saw the inmate and reported that that she was laughing inappropriately, non-responsive and talking to herself. My explanation for the discrepancy between her behavior two days ago and the day I saw her had 4 factors. 1. She was in court when she was doing worse. Court is a high stress situation and even normal people sound like babbling idiots when they get in front of a judge. 2. The worker that observed her in court, has a tendency to, well, not over-estimate the mental health symptoms, rather, to over-estimate the response needed to deal with it. 3. The worker that interviewed the client at the jail two days ago, is inexperienced, so his ability to provide firm boundaries and structure to the interview, is definitely nascent, thus, the inmate showed many more psychotic symptoms, and was less well directed to demonstrate her highest possible level of functioning. 4. The medications that she was taking were minimally effective, yet effective enough such that "Mary" was having a "good" day, they were sufficient, but not sufficient enough if she was having a bad day. So I asked the doctor to increase her meds, so that we could increase the number of "good" days and possibly reveal a higher baseline.

Now, as we were buzzed through the small antechamber to the final stop before her release, she was looking at me and laughing, while also putting the pieces together about what was happening, why I was there, and where she was going. By the time we got her possessions and were walking out to the cab she understood everything that was going on. I asked her a few questions about if she wanted treatment, if she would stay for the entire stay, if she was interested in getting her kids back, if she could stay with her family when she finished treatment, and her answers were leaning towards socially appropriate responses in all phases. I was not convinced that she was now on her way to a happy, healthy, and successful life. But, the fact is, whether junkie-whore, or ceo, we can only live life one moment at a time.

Everything that has been said about this young lady has so far been inconsequential to what I found "special" about her, for this young lady, at the tender age of 24, had 5 babies in foster care. This brings me to the point of this discussion. Humans seeming ability to care for children, has nothing to do with whether they can actually have them. I used to marvel at how many dope fiends, whores and addicts were able to seemingly have baby after baby, yet, now that I see the large number of doped out whores, I have seen with my own eyes, that anecdotally, it's a relatively small percentage of junkie-whores that remain viable for pregnancy. The vast majority can not have children. The ones that do, tend to be very young, and their fertility is facilitated by stints in Jail and prison whereby the petite sentences serve as a respite from the drugs, disease, lack of nutrition and stress that normally would keep these cadre of doped out whores from being able to get pregnant. It's my guess that a large percentage of the ones that can get pregnant, get pregnant within 30 days of release from jail.

In "nature" certain events prevent human females from getting pregnant. 1. Lack of nutrition (if you don't get a period, it severely decreases the chance of pregnancy) 2. Most women can not get pregnant while breast feeding 3. In nature, most males will not mate with females that are near death, or appear to be so. Generally, it is seen as a sexual turn-off, however, when the so-called "man" is just as blitzed and zombie-like in appearance, the mitigating factors (apparently) are not substantial enough to stem the tide of semen receiving opportunities. 4. A doped out, near-death, sickened, mentally ill female, usually is incapable of caring sufficiently for her offspring, and thus, in many cases, the infant will perish. Any tribesman or woman, knowing that this offspring is from such a diseased, pathetic female, would more than likely allow the child to perish, especially if that female is struggling to provide for her own children. No doubt, if this sickened female had given birth to, and killed more than a few children, social taboos would probably dictate that she be killed, or in the least, ostracized from the general group. As you can see, currently sociological factors have resulted in society rushing in to support, nurture and even encourage the junkie-whore to have wave after wave, and litter after litter of offspring that neither she, the biological father, nor society wants, or needs.

And so, this is not to pass a value judgement upon junkie-whores. Sure I could call them "substance addicted individuals engaged in illicit sexual transactions" but it means exactly the same thing. I'm sure all of these value neutral terms are not being used in the tenement, low-rent, rent by the hour fleabag copulation rooms, back alleys, car seats and open fields where said whores are being inseminated. I'll admit, I have a certain amount of disdain for the overall trend and phenomenon of brain dead males and females "having kids", but amazingly, when I'm talking to the junkie whore face to face, I really do care, I am compassionate, empathetic, caring, polite, helpful, friendly... and it's not hard at all to be. I am a human, and so are they. If I had to deal with this individual more than the few system contacts that I am well compensated for, then perhaps I would be robbed of my ability to focus on the singular purpose of the sparse interactions, but, such is not the case.

In any event, "having kids" in the year 2008, is a very strange process that has seemingly lead to some rather preposterous outcomes.

Today, the women that would be the good mothers, are waiting longer and longer to have children, and increasingly, waiting until they are no longer viable, or, until their viability as mothers has diminished substantially. At the same time, these women look at other responsible mothers who have taken the plunge, and exalted them, as if they were saints and goddesses. The thing about it is, that having life, is a continuation of something that was going on long before we were created, and will go on long after we are gone, in some form, in some way, somewhere, and if not, the struggle to assemble viable life, as it was created on this planet 3.5 billion years ago, will continually wrestle to find embodiment.

The point is, that for the individual, non-junkie-whore, or junkie-john/sex addict, to make the leap to being a responsible parent, only requires that one be responsible, and get pregnant, for everything that follows, will happen as a matter of course, as necessity, love and responsibility dictate. It's truly, not a big deal, and at the same time, the biggest deal possible to humans, in that it embodies, our entire existence. If and when, if ever human life is extinguish, all of the life, that has previously passed in the shadows of time, will be meaningless, unless and until such time, if ever, another life-form comes along and digging through the terrestrial layers of earth, fragments of our culture and existence are unearthed. Then, and only then, will we be, in a vague, oblique manner, significant, or meaningful again. Barring that, life on Earth now, for all it's wonders and glory, is still nothing more than a waiting game for some meaning, or purpose that can serve as an explanation, for the seeming progressive refinement (in some sense) of humanity.

For me, it can not be argued that evolution, not only has survival as a point of reference, but there seems to be, something that we are evolving towards. In all of the randomness and entropy, the complexity of dna based organisms runs afoul of any attempt to justify blind evolution as the sole cause. As has been said, the wave particle dilemma isn't so much of a "real" dilemma for the wave/particle, rather, only for us. Clearly, the world does not need us to understand it, in order to exist or persist, however, the lesson is clear. The structure, and meaning, of even inanimate "stuff" represents a complexity far beyond comprehension, and yet, comprehension, is ever able to come to grips with the understanding of this structure, leading me to believe, that a possible culmination of life is to be the life based expression, of existence.

You see, it is my contention that in declaring man as God, upon the establishment of the Christian faith was far too premature, yet, a prognostication, for if we are able one day to voice, discuss, explain, predict, and comprehend existence in it's full complexity, then we will have "evolved" to the point of being a (as mentioned above) a life-based representation of not only that which is living, but that which is not. At this point, our ability to create technologies capable of utilizing our creativity and knowledge of the universe, will result in possibilities that will literally turn reality upon it's ear. It will not be too much to assume, that at that point, the ability to create, new forms of reality will not be beyond our capability, but this can only happen, if we can persist and survive and move along this course of seeming purposeful, ordered, "striving-towards" evolution.

All of this is to say, that one of the problems we must deal with, is not only the junkie-whore, but finding and creating purposeful life for every human, regardless of whether they are addicted to drugs, or have sex for money, or not. For life, and how it is lived, and the choices we make about life, will determine, whether or not we can, or will exist in the future. And so, as I walk this junkie-whore out to the cab, waiting to take her to her mental health/substance abuse program, I have no idea if she will get pregnant again, or have more kids, but I do know, that if she does have a kid, someone, will be obligated to take care of it. And every kid she has, or anyone else has, takes a little bit more, and a little bit more, out of life.

It's plain to see that the best way to reduce our "carbon footprint" and pressure upon this Earth, is to have less children. And the best way to increase the quality of life, is to plow more resources into taking care of those children that are born, in the beginning of of their lives. And the best way to increase our chances as a species, is to educate those children in such a way, that they understand all that they need to know, to pass on the wisdom they've learned, to the next generation.

And I thought all of this, in the time it took her to get her knock-off handbag, fake gold chain and earrings, and get into the van, and pull off into the distance.

All-Earth Anime Round-up

TIIIIIIMAAAAAAA!!!! TIMA! TIMA!.... TIIIIIIMAAAAAAAAAAA~!!!!!

Sorry, I just had to get that out of the way... Anime? you may wonder how that fits into the stream of things between the impassioned, boorish social commentary, the black power perspective and spiritual philosophizing... well, Anime is a strange thing. cartoons allow us to create completely new worlds, and Anime, is the high art of animation, so it's interesting to see what folks have done with it. Let me tell you, there is some really good shit out there. Stuff that really will blow your mind and make you think and put you in a creative head space.

To me, it seems that Anime, the good stuff anyway is overinterpretated. Mainly, western folks look at japanese anime and then try to read into it, like they're in English Class deconstructing The Canterbury Tales and looking at all the allusions and reasons and rationales and hidden political and social pokes and prods. Anime in Japan is a form of entertainment that, as stated above, allows the writers and creator to be free of the rational world in constructing their storylines.

I find it amusing to read interviews of great anime legends, such as Osamu Tezuka and Katsuhiro Otomo, and all of the concrete questions that are being asked about plot and intent, and then the technical questions about how it was done, financed, etc, etc, etc. They totally miss the point. Interpreting good anime is like interpreting a dream. To interview the creator in an attempt to ascertain concrete meaning is to miss. Would it make sense to ask such questions of yourself about the "production" of your own dreams?

Below is some of the best anime and anime that is universally accepted as the best, as well as the anime that I have found to be outstanding.

1. METROPOLIS: I'm going to give this one high marks, just because it ends like all movies should end, with the destruction of the entire world. But, in an amazing twist of absurdity, as the world is coming to an end, inexplicably, yet, so apropos, "I can't stop loving you" by Ray Charles comes blasting from every direction. You can't hear the sounds of buildings crashing, people talking, nothing, just Ray Charles singin' his black ass off. This movie starts slow and then slowly hooks you. When the cute little robot girl makes her appearance, it really finds it's groove. There's the jealous kid with the gun. The evil scientist, the arrogant blue blood leader of the world, the boy and detective family member and the cyborg assistant. But the heart of this movie revolves around this strange love affair between a boy and the cute robot girl. Unbeknownst to anyone, save one, the girl was actually created to take over and destroy the world, which she attempts to do. If not for love, she would have succeeded. The visuals are absolutely amazing. The art deco inspired design, is great, but as in all great anime's, you probably have to watch it 3-4 times just to get to the end, but once you do, it all comes together beautifully.
Rating: 5 out of 5

2. STEAMBOY: This is some crazy shit. The movie is like, 2 hours long, but the last hour and 10 minutes is the final climax. It seems to be about to end for fuckin' ever, and they pull out all the stops, and then more, and more, and more. it's completely off the hook. But, only in anime could you get away with some shit like this. I mean, it's a cartoon, why not continually pull out stops? what's stopping you? certainly not the director or writers. It's a technically astute film. the sets, incredible, the concept, astounding. it's essentially a long chase sequence, and a world changing piece of technology that everyone wants, and it pits a father, against his son, who is then pit against his son (Steamboy). there's a rich white girl, Victorian England, and just beautiful animation and hollering throughout.
Rating: 5 out of 5

3. TOKYO GODFATHERS: This story is about a transsexual, a runaway girl, and an older alcoholic x-bike shop owner, who are all homeless, have banded together and find themselves with a baby to take care of in the dead of winter. They search for the kids parents. They seemingly find the kids parents, but in the search, they all have to re-visit their past, ala "A Christmas Carol" style, and the parents story, is much more than it seems. It features some unpredictable, but believable plot twists, and by the end of the log journey, you have really come to love the characters. I have to admit, I didn't think it would happen, but the ending of this movie, made me cry. It was beautiful, and a real cliffhanger.
Rating: 5 out of 5

4. AKIRA: This movie has a Japanese motorcycle gang in post-apocalyptic Japan. The cause of the nuclear disaster is unknown, but the opening scene gives away some vital clues. The weirdness is so creative and weird, that it makes you wonder why this corny, bullshit motorcycle gang element was even included. There are some strange telepathic mutants, who can bend and control reality. A revolutionary underground network, that is in over it's head, and the character "Akira" who was the cause of the Apocalypse, due to the power of his mind. The twist is that one of the motorcycle punks, has the ability to go toe to toe with Akira. The movie has some real creepy and creative scenes that are totally weird. Ultimately, the corny parts of this movie, drag the entire exercise into the toilet.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5, but with a few scenes that make it a must see.

5. MEMORIES: Three short movies. The first is a mix between "Alien" "Blade Runner" "2001" and "Solaris". It's damn good. all the "mind/what's real" bullshit that every good sci-fi movie has. The second movie, is totally weird. This guy takes a pill that turns him into a toxic, lethal plume of death. The last one, is about a future society, 1984-type, that just shoots bombs off to an unknown enemy. The story makes little sense, and follows the mother, father and son. It's wierd. All three of them, are like a n Anime, "Creepshow", a good movie to watch when you're bedridden and already starting to come unglued.
Rating: 4.25 out of 5

6. APPLESEED: A great futuristic, save the world from destruction by the all-knowing computer type of movie. The heroes are brave, foolish, good looking, and incapable of being killed. half the population are "bioroids" that can not reproduce, the rest are humans. "mya" controls the entire city, and these geriatric motherfuckers that float around, make all the major decisions. The heroine's mother, developed the code for the bioroids, and also has the key to destroy and save them. The final sequence is off the hook, as 12 unstoppable machines march to the center of town to destroy a vat of lethal virus. Of course, with half a second left, the world is saves, and it's all good.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5, but it's mindless.

7. PAPRIKA: A dreaming machine begins to suck people into coma's. somewhat reminiscent of "The Cell" with J-Lo. It has the same weirdness as Akira, but much more of it. A great surreal world. But whereas most movies that have two worlds where characters pop back and forth, this one actually is as amazing in it's "real" world as in it's dream one. It's damn near R-rated, and definitely not for kids.
Rating 3.5 out of 5.

8. FINAL FANTASY: THE SPIRITS WITHIN: This one is very similar to Appleseed. The monsters are better, scarier, and the final sequences, more exciting. Makes you think a bit harder, but overall, just as good. No more, no less.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5, but it's mindless.

9. GRAVE OF THE FIREFLIES: I'm putting this one down here, cause it's horrible. The movie is essentially 2 hours of watching 2 kids die of starvation. Nothing good happens to them. It's depressing and fucked up. Don't get it. There's not a single ray of sunshine in this one. BUT, the overall story is on the suffering of war, the death and destruction, the struggle for life, the end of every relationship and joy that drives humans to move and to love and enjoy. In our current world, we are all given license to moan and gripe and be wounded for losses, be they of individuals, jobs, relationships. But in this movie, the losses are so total, that there is no room to moan and be wounded. There is only time to struggle with all of ones might to keep up with the pace of survival. To acquire food, to stay warm, to deal with the unforeseen and to improvise. This movie is just about a couple of kids thrust into an existence of survival. A survival that based upon their love, dedication and need to preserve the last thing that means anything to them in their life. They are supported by the idea that their father will one day return, but by the end, this is quashed too. When folks think about Japan and war, one thinks of the atrocities against the Chinese, The alliance with the Germans, Pearls Harbor, the Bataan Death March, the firebombing of the major cities, the dropping of 2 nuclear bombs, surrender and the miraculous return to glory. This film holds the lense tightly on the suffering of the Japanese people, and their most vulnerable citizens, children. For that, I have to give this film high ratings. It must represent something that was deep in the national consciousness, and had to be expressed, but it certainly doesn't qualify in my mind as "entertainment" it's something else entirely, and as such, it demonstrates the vast range and capability of anime, as exemplified in the other great anime sci-fi mentioned above.
Rating: 4.5 out of 5

10. NAUSICAA, VALLEY OF THE WIND: This one is pretty creative. good battles, good story, strange creatures, good scenes. But, it's for kids. It's too corny and cutesy for any real Black man to enjoy, but the kids got off on it. It's a lot like the old Speed Racer, or Marine Boy (that I can't seem to find anywhere).
Rating: 3.5 out of 5 for kids, 1 out of 5 for adults.

As a final note, I think it would be a shame for anyone that considered themselves to be a movie lover, and film afficianado to get through life without at least a short sojourn into the realm of anime. If nothing else, it will add to your understanding and experience of movies, what they are, what they can be, and what they can convey.

White Outrage At SDSU For Audacious Drug Etiquette Faux Paux In Arrest Of Whites

There are some seriously pissed off folks at San Diego University right now. They had absolutely no idea that they could be arrested for drug dealing. Even now, I have nary a doubt that many of them are just now beginning to realize that for whatever reason, they are have, against all odds, been arrested for crimes usually reserved exclusively for Blacks.

Read the following article, and you'll see the following points that I had emphasized in yesterday's blog.
1. Affluent Neighborhoods, Cars and Vehicles are virtual drug use free pass areas to the point that folks within these neighborhoods are completely in the dark about the current catastrophe going on in Black communities for the last 30 years. Affluent KNOW, that drugs are illegal, but the point is, rich, affluent folks have been virtually immune from drug charges as long as they remain in their communities and do not deal with inner city Blacks in the acquisition of drugs.

Danielle Patterson, a sophomore sorority member, said she was awake cramming for finals when agents raided an apartment behind her building. She said, "I never thought something like that would happen here," she said. "To think they think drugs are such a big issue here, it's ridiculous."

2. What this whole incident exposes, and will continue to expose, is that affluent folks have absolutely no compassion for what has been happening to Blacks. The unspoken assumption has been that Blacks who have been given outrageous sentences for drug possession are deserving of such sentences, not because they are bad people, but because they are Black, and ample warning has been given to the Black community, that any trifling with drugs can result in a life sentence. Affluent folks have NOT been included in this. And so, in a sense, they feel that they have every right to be outraged and blindsided by this recent turn of events. In fact, they probably have legal grounds with which to challenge the arrests, seeing as it's common knowledge that the police have no business busting rich whites in academic sanctuaries for any crime. Believe it, the calls for leniency have just begun, and before this thing is over, every last affluent kid involved in this, will be seen as a martyr. Hell, we may even have the beginnings of a new religion.

Some students and parents complained that the bust was heavy-handed. Parents joined students at a campus rally Wednesday calling for more drug-abuse treatment instead of tougher enforcement. "This heavy hand coming down is not going to change drug use on campus," said Gretchen Burns-Bergman, whose son is a month away from graduating. "There's not going to be a shortage of drugs on campus."


3. Affluent Universities and Colleges are complicit in creating the drug use free zones on Campuses across the country. The understanding with affluent folks is that the colleges will protect and safeguard their children's futures. Part of this strategy is to turn a blind eye towards rampant alcohol use, sexual assaults, and drug use and sales, as well as cheating, writing bad checks, etc. Because colleges have been establishehd to safeguard affluent folks through the difficult transition from young adulthood, to movers and shakers. What many Blacks understand is that if you are accepted, not only are you given the tools necessary to succeed in life, but you will be treated with kid gloves until the day of your graduation. Every effort will be made, to make sure that you dodge all the hazards to make it to the promised land. I'm in shock that this eden has been invaded. Someone seriously messed up, and I will not be surprised if some cops lose their jobs over this.

Campus police started the probe a year ago after the cocaine overdose death of a freshman sorority member, but they soon called in federal agents to provide fresh faces on campus and supply the money needed to make drug buys. That was a major departure from the arms'-length relationship that has existed between colleges and police since the 1960s. For decades, police in many communities have largely turned a blind eye to drugs on campus. Yet the invitation to federal authorities was unusual because it involved an open-ended investigation that didn't involve a violent crime. "In general, universities are pretty jealous of their prerogatives and are uneasy about welcoming outside authorities onto campus," said Todd Gitlin, a professor of journalism and sociology at Columbia University, a former student radical and a leading authority on the '60s counterculture. "There's a real reluctance at universities to call on outside police." University President Stephen Weber defended the decision to bring federal authorities onto campus.

4. These affluent kids and parents feel utterly betrayed by the University for abiding by the law. The reason is that of course, affluent folks should be protected from the harsh realities that Blacks and other minorities face on a daily basis. If I was affluent and got caught up in this mess, or I was a affluent parent and got caught up in this mess, I'd be mad too. The fact that the drug sales were so out in the open, on campus and no effort whatsoever to hide or disguise what was going on, shows that these affluent young men were absolutely not concerned with arrest in the least. Why should they be? they attend classes on one of hundreds of affluent free drug use zones across this country.

The day after the drug sweep landed members of three fraternities in jail and led to the suspension of six frats, investigators revealed how easy it was to penetrate the university's drug culture."They never gave any thought that we could be doing an operation there," said Eileen Zeidler, a spokeswoman for the DEA office in San Diego. At least 75 people arrested during the five-month sting were San Diego State students, and 13 of them were from seven fraternities. All together, there were 128 arrests, 61 on Tuesday. Theta Chi had the highest number of students arrested, with five.Undercover agents who posed as college students to bust more than 100 suspected drug dealers at San Diego State University never had to crack a book to gain acceptance on campus. All it took was cash. The federal agents went to one or two parties but never actually went to class or lived in the dorms. Instead, they merely arranged meetings with suspected dealers and asked about buying cocaine, Ecstasy, methamphetamine, marijuana and other drugs, authorities said Wednesday. "All it took was saying, `Hey, I go to State, can you hook me up?'" said San Diego County prosecutor Damon Mosler. "And then it was off to the races."

5. It appears that so much hype about anti-drug propoganda has seeped across this nation on it's War on Drugs, some of the SDSU administration had no idea that they were breaking drug etiquette by calling in the big dogs. Even today, after more arrests were made, the SDSU administration stated the following:

"Some have asked what we think this publicity has done for SDSU's reputation. I have told them I am proud of the action taken by SDSU to proactively address this serious threat to our students," Weber said in a statement Wednesday. "As a parent I would want my son or daughter to attend a university committed to providing the safest possible environment."

All I have to say is that there are probably at least 25,000 affluent drug dealers on college campuses and fraternities across this nation that are furiously flushing thousands of dollars worth of product down the toilet at this very minute. I'm sure a few are having blowout sales, but mark my words, this bust is a an anomaly. Although at least 50 affluent boys and girls could be arrested on every affluent campus a day for breaking federal drug use, possession or sales policy, it will never become a trend. In fact, if the police had truly used the same strategy that they used in the Black community, they would have had at least 1,000 arrests, because in the city they focus on small time dealers, but mostly, the focus on the small time buyers. I guarantee you, nary a single buyer was busted in this. Is it discriminatory that they didn't focus on buyers like they do in the hood? absolutely, but what it shows is that they truly do understand the problem. For had they busted buyers, they would have invariably been exactly the same as the buyers in the hood (more or less). They would in many instances be the kids that came from broken homes, who were outcasts, who had histories of abuse, sexual and physical. who were going through tough transitions, losses, deaths of loved ones, family discord, break-ups or had underlying mental health issues like depression, bi-polar disorder, dyslexia, etc. So they didn't focus on the buyers... But the point is, they don't give the same consideration when it comes to the hood. If these dope dealers had a hundred thousand dollars worth of dope, then it was because that's how much dope they needed and how much they were movin'. that's a lot of buyers. If you figure the average sale was an eighth, then that's at least 5,500 sales and 5,500 users, and that's just the marijuana. That doesn't count the mushrooms, meth, ecstacy, cocaine.... Believe me, this bust could have been a whole lot uglier.

All quotes in this story were from the following story: "FEDS PENETRATED DRUG CULTURE EASILY AT SAN DIEGO STATE"
By Allison Hoffman, Associated Press Writer, Wednesday, May 7, 2008